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Scott Bessent
Treasury Secretary, US Treasury

LIVE: Treasury Secretary Bessent details economic sanctions against Iran | NBC News

📅 Aug 24, 2026 NBC News 40 MIN 48 SEGMENTS · 7 SPEAKERS
Watch live coverage as Secretary Scott Bessent holds a press conference detailing further sanctions against Iran. For more ...

What Scott Bessent said

Written from the verified transcript and checked against it. Every figure links to the moment it was said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign to sever all economic lifelines sustaining Iran, including secondary sanctions on foreign entities. He detailed five new sectoral sanctions (digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, shipping) and OFAC actions against over 60 entities, individuals, and vessels. Bessent declared a zero-leakage approach and warned that facilitators of Iran's oil trade would face sanctions and removal from the U.S. dollar system. He declined to name countries or set timelines, but noted the UAE's recent actions as likely causal and predicted a major financial institution sanction by week's end. He also addressed Canada, saying President Trump wants Canada to negotiate in good faith, criticized Prime Minister Carney as anti-American, and mentioned a next bond buyback operation on September 9th.

Key takeaways

  1. Operation Economic Outcast targets five sectors: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping.
  2. Treasury is sanctioning over 60 entities, individuals, and vessels for enabling Iran's nuclear, missile, cyber, and oil activities.
  3. Any entity facilitating money laundering for Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system.
  4. Countries have a defined timeline to shut down activities, but Bessent declined to specify durations.

Numbers and commitments

FigureWhat it refers toTypeAt
60 entities, individuals, and vessels Sanctioned for enabling Iran's illicit activities metric 9:44
20 points Polling deficit for Prime Minister Carney metric 19:05
September 9th Next bond buyback operation date timeline 19:59

Chapters

  1. 0:00Launch of Operation Economic Outcast
  2. 9:44Sanctions on five sectors and OFAC actions
  3. 13:03Responses to reporter questions on China and timelines
  4. 16:44Discussion of UAE compliance
  5. 18:54Comments on Canada trade relations
  6. 19:46Bond buyback and sanctions implementation

Questions asked in this interview

8
  1. 12:24Is that something that is coming in this campaign, or is the very delicate trade truce with China something that could prohibit you from going that far and taking that very big step?
  2. 13:53Who is he calling and what are the asks?
  3. 14:44Can you say how far the timelines are?
  4. 15:02What specific secondary sanctions or penalties is Treasury prepared to levy against Chinese banks and shipping firms if they do not comply?
  5. 16:44Is UAE leading the way in this respect?
  6. 18:54Does the United States and President Trump still want Canada to become a state?
  7. 19:46Can you tell us if there's any possibility that there will be more bond buybacks anytime soon?
  8. 20:22So why not impose the sanctions today?
Scott Bessent 4:39 ↗
Operation Economic Outcast, an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers. In the Second World War, D-Day marked the historic beginning of a campaign with our allies to target and drive the enemy from its positions, including those in third countries today. In that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Iran's fanatics devote themselves to "Death to America" and seek nuclear weapons to do just that. They have murdered and maimed more of our citizens and service members than any other terrorist regime on Earth, and they have been at war against America, their neighbors in the Gulf, and much of the world for 47 years. President Trump has taken action that his predecessors have long deferred, and under his leadership, America is no longer managing the Iranian threat. We are ending it.
Our great armed forces have laid the groundwork for achieving the president's objective of preventing Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons. They have shown America's resolve to finally end this threat, and the strength of America's economy under President Trump allows us to wage this sustained financial operation alongside the might of our military. Iran now faces a very clear choice, with only two paths before them: complete global isolation and a subsistence economy, or a path back to normalcy with an opportunity to rejoin the global economy.
Today, we are launching Operation Economic Outcast to foreclose every other option available to the Iranian regime. Treasury has mapped every node, every facilitator, and every network that Iran has used to smuggle oil and evade sanctions. Beginning today, the actions of Treasury and other agencies will tighten the noose and block every potential source of revenue that funds the IRGC and the Iranian regime. We are enforcing a zero-leakage approach. There will be no minimal breathing space for the regime to rebuild its capacity to inflict terror against America and the world.
The final refuge of this regime is the mistaken conclusion of nations that still finance the Iranian threat in the hopes of evading it. It is no longer acceptable to operate in the gray spaces of this conflict. Countries cannot claim they are blind to enabling this activity. Iran's enablers purchase and transport its petroleum. They facilitate the flow of its finances through exchange houses and free trade zones. They welcome Iran's flights and maintain registries on its behalf. They turn a blind eye to seaborne fuel transfers and overland transits. They condone illicit use of their banks, all the while concealing the extent of their complicity.
The President is making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions with the regime. We are already seeing results. Over the weekend, comments from Iranian leadership clearly acknowledged the effect of this campaign, and nations that facilitate any international interactions with the regime should quickly heed our message. Those who stand with the United States will reap the rewards of our partnership. Those who tether themselves to the Iranian regime should expect to share in the isolation of a withering regime.
Teams from Treasury, State, and the U.S. military are now meeting with their global counterparts to tell them that the United States expects action. Every country has a defined timeline to shut down activities we have identified. If they do not take action, we will do so unilaterally through Treasury authorities. For example, every branch of Bank Melli must be shuttered and dark. And let me be clear: any entity that facilitates money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system. The clock just started ticking.
The new sectoral sanctions determinations issued today target five of Iran's most vital lifelines that it exploits in other countries: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. These measures broaden secondary sanctions risk for anyone foolish enough to continue conducting business with this regime, and will accelerate the speed with which we pursue them. As I speak, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is also sanctioning over 60 entities, individuals, and vessels around the world that enable the Iranian regime to procure illicit nuclear and missile technology, conduct cyber operations, and generate oil revenue. This is a sustained campaign to collapse every last option for Iran.
Let there be no ambiguity as to the position of the United States. Economic engagement of any kind with this murderous regime will expose those responsible to the full reach of American power. For decades, this regime has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over.
To the ordinary soldiers supporting this regime: as more and more of your paychecks stop or are supposedly just delayed, ask whether your commanders are leading your country to triumph or to ruin. And recall that the Berlin Wall fell when ordinary soldiers decided not to shoot at their own people. And to those who enable Tehran, do not discount the cost of testing Washington's resolve. No nation should expect to enjoy the rewards of our system while helping those who seek to destroy it.
It is now a time for world leaders to make a decision between prosperity and isolation, peace and terror, America and Iran. The campaign we begin today will gather force with every day that follows, and it will not end until this regime stands alone. With that, I welcome your questions. David from Reuters.
Reporter 12:24 ↗
Hi, thanks, Secretary. One of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal is the ability to impose secondary sanctions on banks and financial institutions that facilitate transactions for Iran. Chinese banks have often been talked about being targeted, but we don't see any of those institutions targeted here. Is that something that is coming in this campaign, or is the very delicate trade truce with China something that could prohibit you from going that far and taking that very big step?
Scott Bessent 13:03 ↗
We want to make clear here today that no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions, that if they facilitate transactions and are part of the ecosystem that turns Iranian oil into money, into repression, they will be targeted. We find that the best way to engage with countries is through quiet diplomacy, and we are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves. Richard from CBS.
Reporter 13:53 ↗
Thank you, sir. You said the President is calling world leaders with specific asks and that there is a defined timeline. Who is he calling and what are the asks?
Scott Bessent 14:06 ↗
We're not going to name names, but we've already seen some results. I am confident the President, as you all know, is quite persuasive, and we are following his calls up with visits and calls from the State Department and from the U.S. Treasury, telling the leaders and the countries and the entities exactly what we expect and the timelines. I would expect that very quickly, if they do not respond, then you will see the ramifications of their actions.
Reporter 14:44 ↗
Can you say how far the timelines are?
Scott Bessent 14:47 ↗
Again, I'm not going to set timelines, but we do not have infinite patience here. Jennifer.
Jennifer Schonberger 15:02 ↗
Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary. Jennifer Schonberger with Yahoo Finance. You just said moments ago that no one is above U.S. sanctions. What specific secondary sanctions or penalties is Treasury prepared to levy against Chinese banks and shipping firms if they do not comply? And then secondly, as you look to take these unprecedented sanctions, you've also said that as the Iran conflict fades and oil prices recede, that will help bring down long-term bond yields. In the meantime, you have mentioned your toolkit, and I'm curious if you are looking at reducing auction sizes for longer-term dated Treasury debt going forward, and what other actions you may consider from that toolkit.
Scott Bessent 15:42 ↗
Thank you. Well, why don't we work backwards? We issued the quarterly refunding announcement two and a half weeks ago. We are going to continue with our regular program of auctions, so you will be hearing from us again at the beginning of next quarter. In terms of, as I said, every country, every entity should know that they should be prepared to face U.S. sanctions, and they know no one is above this. We are going to hold everyone accountable. And this is economic asphyxiation of this regime. And, Jennifer, as I said, no one should test our resolve. Josh from New York Post.
Josh 16:44 ↗
You said you weren't going to name names, but there's been some reports that the United Arab Emirates is among some of the first nations to take seriously these words from the United States to cut off all business interactions with Iran. Is UAE leading the way in this respect?
Scott Bessent 17:04 ↗
I would think that the actions that they took last week were not coincident, but likely causal. And I would expect that we would see a broad array of countries taking similar actions as we continue our engagement. The UAE have been very good partners and have taken the brunt of the Iranian attacks in the Gulf. And what did these countries get over the years from appeasing Iran? They were subject to violent attacks. While we were bombing Iran, they were bombing them. So it shows that with this regime, appeasement does not work. And on the other side, with this regime, trying to buy appeasement will no longer work in the eyes of the United States of America.
And I want to emphasize that we are spreading out across the world as we speak, that you will see a wave of sanctions when you leave this meeting today, and you should expect that cadence to continue. And I would expect that you will see a major announcement of a financial institution being sanctioned by the end of this week. Samir from Sky?
Reporter 18:41 ↗
Mr. Secretary.
Scott Bessent 18:42 ↗
Yep. No, are you—no, I'm looking for Samir from Sky.
Reporter 18:48 ↗
Al Jazeera.
Scott Bessent 18:52 ↗
No. Hi.

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Cite this transcript

APA, MLA, BibTeX
APA

Bessent, S. (2026, August 24). LIVE: Treasury Secretary Bessent details economic sanctions against Iran | NBC News [Interview transcript]. NBC News. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1280537/

MLA

Scott Bessent. "LIVE: Treasury Secretary Bessent details economic sanctions against Iran | NBC News." NBC News, 24 Aug. 2026. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1280537/.

BibTeX
@misc{bessent2026_1280537,
  author       = {Scott Bessent},
  title        = {LIVE: Treasury Secretary Bessent details economic sanctions against Iran | NBC News},
  howpublished = {Interview transcript, NBC News. CEOInterviews.AI},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = {aug},
  url          = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1280537/},
  note         = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}